Candidate TV commercials on the air

Softballs, hard sells and lots of smiles try to snag votes

They're coming at us from every channel. TV and radio ads for New
Mexico politicians won’t likely ease up between now and the June 3 primary.Want to compare the messages? Here’s a collection
of recent spots. Make sure to give your own analysis in the comments section below.

Gov. Susana Martinez doesn’t have a Republican opponent in
the primary election, but she’s got money to burn and a general to win in
November. Her third TV commercial aired this week, hitting heavy on her
decision to sell a state airplane used by former Gov. Bill Richardson and
leaning on her agenda for education:

The governor’s first TV spot, “helping people,” began airing
around April 8, with emphasis on tax cuts and other
policies, it also features a tender moment between Martinez and her sister.

Then, in late April, her campaign went with “Cares,” which features
Democrat mayors of Taos and Las Vegas who support her and talks about such as wildfire and snow storms.

In a field of five, Lawrence Rael was the first democrat for
governor to put out a TV commercial. He followed up with a new ad on May 13:

The first, which appeared cable stations since May 1 and cycled off around May 11, is a softball with idyllic images
of ranchers, teachers and even a cameo for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express
trains, which Rael oversaw during one of his previous government jobs. His
campaign called it “Lawrence’s positive vision for New Mexico’s future.”

Just this week, Alan Webber launched a television ad with an
altogether different tone. His voice is the only one you hear as a helicopter
lands and then he stands on the airfield, bringing up the Koch brothers and
saying the governor “may take orders from them.”

Rael has also been aggressive in radio ads,
which employ some of the inflammatory recordings of Martinez’ campaign
meetings that made national news in Mother Jones magazine:

And the candidates themselves aren’t the ones putting cash
into ads. Better New Mexico Political Action Committee, a group supported by ProgressNow
NM, raised the governor’s hackles with a TV commercial.Martinez
campaign staff wrote a news station asking for the commercial to be prohibited
before it ever aired once. After a day of delay from the threats, the spot aired
on three stations between April 30 and May 2, says Pat Davis Progress Now director.

Sen. Howie Morales, who won the Democratic preprimary convention
with the most delegate votes in a coup that surprised some pundits, tells SFR
that he’s getting ready to do a TV commercial, too.No word from Sen. Linda Lopez on whether she’ll
buy air time. This video on her website is
labeled “Commercial”